Orthopaedics in day surgery

Background: Day surgery is now well established worldwide, but is just being established in Africa. In this paper is examined the efficacy of day care surgery in Orthopaedics. Setting up of the units and types of units that are looked at. Objective: To study the feasibility of day surgery in orthopaedics in an Urban African setting. Setting: Two day surgical units, in Upper Hill Medical Centre and Menelik Medical Centre, Nairobi, Kenya. Methods: Patients treated at two day surgical units study with the aid of careful record, as to the selection, treatment, complications and any other observations. Results: Study period January 2003 to December 2008. Total operations were 6061 with 954 (16%) being orthopaedics. There were 573 males and 381 females. Age range 2-75 years. All spectrum of orthopaedic operations done. Upper limb procedures were 527 and 330 lower limb. Twenty eight amputations were done of which four were major. Admissions were 13 and no infection or serious complications were reported. Conclusion: Day care orthopaedics surgery in Africa is feasible and desirable with care preparations complications are few.